Can I use a mirror external drive to update to 4.2?

I'm out of town away from my Mac Pro and want to upgrade my iPad to 4.2.
I have an external portable drive with me that is a mirror copy of my main Mac Pro drive that has all my iPad files and backup so when I boot off it (using the option key), whatever Mac I'm on looks like my Mac Pro.
Then when I get home, I mirror copy my external drive to my main Mac Pro drive so all the work I've done while away e.g. email, new programs, changed library files, etc. are sync'd to my usual Mac Pro drive environment.
So... while I'm away from home if I boot the iMac I have at my disposal here, using my external drive, launch iTunes (10.1). download iOS 4.2 and then USB my iPad to the iMac, will the iPad think it's plugged into my Mac Pro or the iMac even though the iMac is running on my mirror Mac Pro ext. drive? Whew.
Then when I return home, if I mirror backup my main drive with my external drive and then plug in my iPad will my Mac Pro want to restore my iPad or will all be OK?
Or... should I just shut up and wait until I get back home and do the upgrade then?

I'm having trouble finding Portable external 1T drives to use as boot clones. I only need them as 1-time boot clones to be stored offsite.   WD techs said their's have errors with Mac Pro Lion. LaCie said LaCies have some errors too. Other drives have mega reviews regarding failings or lost data, so I'm confused.
Would you have any suggestions? Thanks.

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